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n WEBER STATE UNIVERSITY The Urban legends, spooky Men's soccer goes to nationals O history u -a A 0 oom on iv ;J !l campus I seepage 5 see page 6 I WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2005 wsusignpost.com VOLUME 68 ISSUE 31 TN cL-a t.1. j ls visi vl (( J I n n a n n is wii j Muslim students raise funds for earthquake victims r 'l- J PHOIO BY BLAIR OFE HODGES lilt SK.NIDST Ryan Starks, VVSU Student Association president (left), explains why he vetoed a bill proposed to protect special-constituency senate seats. A heated discussion followed his explanation as representatives from several minority constituencies attended the meeting to show support for seat-protecting legislation. Senate meeting offers standing room only as bill supporters attend By Chris Ripplinger campus affairs editor Vie Signpost-.. - Constituency students and advisors packed the senate meeting room as Ryan Starks, Weber State University Student Association president, spoke Monday about his reasons for vetoing a bill making it more difficult to eliminate a senate seat. During an open forum held at Shepherd Union Building Room 352, many visitors who spoke opposed Starks' decision and appealed to the senators to re-vote on this bill with the "diversity and history in mind represented by the senate seats." Some visitors asked for clarification, while others called Starks a "liar" and a "poor leader." One person asked, "How can we impeach you?" Those who attended the senate meeting included 17 senators, 32 visitors and five WSU Department of Student Involvement members. For those 54 total people, there were 51 available seats. James West, WSU Student Association nontradifional senator, snnnsnnxi the bill BA05-6, which allows a constituency a group of students represented by a senator to start die process of eliminating a senate seat if the constiftiency felt members no longer wanted senate representation. This constituency would present a petition with 51 percent of die constituency students voting against dieir senate position. A three-fourths vote from die student senate would then eliminate the seat. This bill was initially written in response to rumors that Justin Harper, WSU Student Association science senator, had written legislation to remove "special constituency" senate positions such as the African-American and disabilities positions. Harper said he merely wants to research the idea and he currently does not have an opinio; on it. West's bill passed Oct. 17 in the student senate meeting with no opposition among senators. Starks then vetoed the bill, but his veto could be overturned if three-fourths of the senate votes for West's bill a second time. Starks said he is confident voting will now come out differently because he feels the senators are more informed now. During senate meeting, Starks said one reason he has for vetoing West's bill is that it's nearly impossible to eliminate a senate position in this new process because there are no students within a constituency who would "suddenly band together to eliminate their representation." Starks also said if die senate wanted to reorganize five years down the road, it would be nearly impossible because the senate would have no power to make changes to the senate ifWest's bill passed. Starks said the term "special constituency senator" creates a divided senate. He refers to those positions as "non-college senate seats." This bill was designed to preserve those seats. Starks said he supports die student senate's diversity, but wants to find other ways to maintain its strong and diverse nature. Starks said the minority seat needed to be protected, but West's legislation was the wrong way to c.o it. Some senators and guests said the bylaws obligated Starks to present an alternative, but the bylaws do not actually say that. Following Starks' reasons for vetoing die bill, a forum opened to all in attendance for comments and questions directed at Starks. Time was extended five times to accommodate those that wanted to speak. See Defends page 9 By Becky Palmer special assignments editor The Signpost The sundown celebration for breaking the Ramadan fast, known as iftaar, was darkened by sorrow Saturday in the Weber State University Diversity Center. The Muslim Student Association ofWSU gathered to raise funds for earthquake victims in Southeast Asia that evening. The 7.6-magnitude earthquake that shook three major Muslim countries the morning of Oct. 8 is estimated to have killed more than 80,000 people and left 3.3 million more homeless. There may be more than 32,000 dead children. Two WSU alumni, Salman Awall and Saleem Jan, are in Pakistan assisting with relief efforts. Awall has already delivered two truckloads of supplies, said Omar Alam, Muslim Student Association vice president. The Muslim Student Association was gathering funds Saturday to be sent directly to Awall's Paypal account. Members had already collected money at six Utah mosques on Friday night, totaling $1,300. They hoped to reach $-1,000 by Tuesday evening. "Children and elders are trapped underneath the rubble and crying for our help," Alam said. There is a pressing need to provide aid quickly, before the Himalayan winter sets in. Doing so will be difficult because many roads arc blocked by landslides and some villages are presently unreachable. Alam said during a video presentation that respect should be given to those "martyred in this month of Ramadan" in the earthquake. See Pakistan page 9 7 " ' r a . . ;- X",. 1, t , ! '- ' I 1 U . . . v" - i ' ' ; ! HlOIOIiV MAKIA VILLA-StNON II M AW Ayesha (born Chloe-Ann) Alam and her daughter Zara Shaheen Alam attend the Muslim Student Association's fund-raiser for victims of the earthquake in Pakistan. Ayesha is her Muslim name, and her husband, Omar Alam from Pakistan, is organizing the disaster relief fund. TFT T: .Kirn ' f , - Poor wendeli He didn't turn His homevvor On time... v Vw. - J v , -j J M f il' I' f ( f ' ' i ' xl . ; I I rtiuiu oi JAiON bTALtlr shocks s Mike VVillden (right), a 26-year-old manufacturing engineering student, adjusts wiring Monday on his Halloween display in Building 4. The display shows a masked man with ghoulish hands in a homemade electrical chair. When a button is pushed, the victim, "Wendell," jumps up and down as though receiving an electric shock. Wiliden rigged the unit to emit sound effects of screaming and electric currents. "It was my pet project last year when I built it for a haunted garage at my paients' place," VVillden said. Bill Clapp, WSU Computer and Electronics Engineering Technology chairman, invited VVillden to set up the display. "Mike brings a certain spontaneity and excitement to our department," Clapp said. The display is available for viewing until Thursday, and will be available again Tuesday in Building 4 across from Room 241a. Mews Briefs State building board ranks WSU project sixth Weber State University's proposal to replace buildings 1 and 2 was ranked sixth by the Utah State Building Board after being presented last week. A $48 million digital learning center for Utah Valley State College ranked first and a $10 million new applied technology college in Vernal followed. WSU was placed lower than the third place Midway fish hatchery renovation, which hooked the board for $5 million, and a 192-bed, $20 million expansion of the Gunnison prison. The fish hatchery would produce 225,000 pounds of fish that would reduce whirling disease, which causes fish to swim in circles. The building board uses a complex scoring system that compares each project's needs with available funding sources to decide where state money should go. Until the state officially sets aside money for a building budget, WSU will not know if being sixth on the list is enough to receive funding. It is projected that about $100 million will be given to the top priorities, meaning approximately four of the 23 projects will be built. Pulitzer Prize-winning author speaking today about Disney What do corporate intrigue, egotistical leadership, money, scandal and a pair of black mouse ears have in common? Each plays a role in author James B. Stewart's book, "Disney War." Stewart wiU speak today at noon in the Shepherd Union Wildcat Theater about the controversial business side of the Walt Disney Corp. Stewart re-cendy published "Disney War," dealing with the roller-coaster ride Disney CEO Michael Eisner has taken die company on. While Stewart's book credits Eisner for several company-saving decisions, it focuses on blunders made by the Disney hierarchy, including opportunities the company passed up, including "The Lord of the Rings," "The Sopranos" and "Survivor." Stefanie Schulz, WSU Student Association vice president of arts and lectures, called Stewart's lecture "universally applicable." "All of us are influenced by advertising and marketing on some level," Schulz said. According to Schultz, Stewart's lecture fits into the Convocations' dieme of "die inside story." Stewart won the Pulitzer Prize in 1994 for his best-selling book "Den of Thieves," about the 1980s insider trading scandals on Wall Street.

Public Domain. Courtesy of University Archives, Stewart Library, Weber State University.

Full-Text

n WEBER STATE UNIVERSITY The Urban legends, spooky Men's soccer goes to nationals O history u -a A 0 oom on iv ;J !l campus I seepage 5 see page 6 I WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2005 wsusignpost.com VOLUME 68 ISSUE 31 TN cL-a t.1. j ls visi vl (( J I n n a n n is wii j Muslim students raise funds for earthquake victims r 'l- J PHOIO BY BLAIR OFE HODGES lilt SK.NIDST Ryan Starks, VVSU Student Association president (left), explains why he vetoed a bill proposed to protect special-constituency senate seats. A heated discussion followed his explanation as representatives from several minority constituencies attended the meeting to show support for seat-protecting legislation. Senate meeting offers standing room only as bill supporters attend By Chris Ripplinger campus affairs editor Vie Signpost-.. - Constituency students and advisors packed the senate meeting room as Ryan Starks, Weber State University Student Association president, spoke Monday about his reasons for vetoing a bill making it more difficult to eliminate a senate seat. During an open forum held at Shepherd Union Building Room 352, many visitors who spoke opposed Starks' decision and appealed to the senators to re-vote on this bill with the "diversity and history in mind represented by the senate seats." Some visitors asked for clarification, while others called Starks a "liar" and a "poor leader." One person asked, "How can we impeach you?" Those who attended the senate meeting included 17 senators, 32 visitors and five WSU Department of Student Involvement members. For those 54 total people, there were 51 available seats. James West, WSU Student Association nontradifional senator, snnnsnnxi the bill BA05-6, which allows a constituency a group of students represented by a senator to start die process of eliminating a senate seat if the constiftiency felt members no longer wanted senate representation. This constituency would present a petition with 51 percent of die constituency students voting against dieir senate position. A three-fourths vote from die student senate would then eliminate the seat. This bill was initially written in response to rumors that Justin Harper, WSU Student Association science senator, had written legislation to remove "special constituency" senate positions such as the African-American and disabilities positions. Harper said he merely wants to research the idea and he currently does not have an opinio; on it. West's bill passed Oct. 17 in the student senate meeting with no opposition among senators. Starks then vetoed the bill, but his veto could be overturned if three-fourths of the senate votes for West's bill a second time. Starks said he is confident voting will now come out differently because he feels the senators are more informed now. During senate meeting, Starks said one reason he has for vetoing West's bill is that it's nearly impossible to eliminate a senate position in this new process because there are no students within a constituency who would "suddenly band together to eliminate their representation." Starks also said if die senate wanted to reorganize five years down the road, it would be nearly impossible because the senate would have no power to make changes to the senate ifWest's bill passed. Starks said the term "special constituency senator" creates a divided senate. He refers to those positions as "non-college senate seats." This bill was designed to preserve those seats. Starks said he supports die student senate's diversity, but wants to find other ways to maintain its strong and diverse nature. Starks said the minority seat needed to be protected, but West's legislation was the wrong way to c.o it. Some senators and guests said the bylaws obligated Starks to present an alternative, but the bylaws do not actually say that. Following Starks' reasons for vetoing die bill, a forum opened to all in attendance for comments and questions directed at Starks. Time was extended five times to accommodate those that wanted to speak. See Defends page 9 By Becky Palmer special assignments editor The Signpost The sundown celebration for breaking the Ramadan fast, known as iftaar, was darkened by sorrow Saturday in the Weber State University Diversity Center. The Muslim Student Association ofWSU gathered to raise funds for earthquake victims in Southeast Asia that evening. The 7.6-magnitude earthquake that shook three major Muslim countries the morning of Oct. 8 is estimated to have killed more than 80,000 people and left 3.3 million more homeless. There may be more than 32,000 dead children. Two WSU alumni, Salman Awall and Saleem Jan, are in Pakistan assisting with relief efforts. Awall has already delivered two truckloads of supplies, said Omar Alam, Muslim Student Association vice president. The Muslim Student Association was gathering funds Saturday to be sent directly to Awall's Paypal account. Members had already collected money at six Utah mosques on Friday night, totaling $1,300. They hoped to reach $-1,000 by Tuesday evening. "Children and elders are trapped underneath the rubble and crying for our help," Alam said. There is a pressing need to provide aid quickly, before the Himalayan winter sets in. Doing so will be difficult because many roads arc blocked by landslides and some villages are presently unreachable. Alam said during a video presentation that respect should be given to those "martyred in this month of Ramadan" in the earthquake. See Pakistan page 9 7 " ' r a . . ;- X",. 1, t , ! '- ' I 1 U . . . v" - i ' ' ; ! HlOIOIiV MAKIA VILLA-StNON II M AW Ayesha (born Chloe-Ann) Alam and her daughter Zara Shaheen Alam attend the Muslim Student Association's fund-raiser for victims of the earthquake in Pakistan. Ayesha is her Muslim name, and her husband, Omar Alam from Pakistan, is organizing the disaster relief fund. TFT T: .Kirn ' f , - Poor wendeli He didn't turn His homevvor On time... v Vw. - J v , -j J M f il' I' f ( f ' ' i ' xl . ; I I rtiuiu oi JAiON bTALtlr shocks s Mike VVillden (right), a 26-year-old manufacturing engineering student, adjusts wiring Monday on his Halloween display in Building 4. The display shows a masked man with ghoulish hands in a homemade electrical chair. When a button is pushed, the victim, "Wendell," jumps up and down as though receiving an electric shock. Wiliden rigged the unit to emit sound effects of screaming and electric currents. "It was my pet project last year when I built it for a haunted garage at my paients' place," VVillden said. Bill Clapp, WSU Computer and Electronics Engineering Technology chairman, invited VVillden to set up the display. "Mike brings a certain spontaneity and excitement to our department," Clapp said. The display is available for viewing until Thursday, and will be available again Tuesday in Building 4 across from Room 241a. Mews Briefs State building board ranks WSU project sixth Weber State University's proposal to replace buildings 1 and 2 was ranked sixth by the Utah State Building Board after being presented last week. A $48 million digital learning center for Utah Valley State College ranked first and a $10 million new applied technology college in Vernal followed. WSU was placed lower than the third place Midway fish hatchery renovation, which hooked the board for $5 million, and a 192-bed, $20 million expansion of the Gunnison prison. The fish hatchery would produce 225,000 pounds of fish that would reduce whirling disease, which causes fish to swim in circles. The building board uses a complex scoring system that compares each project's needs with available funding sources to decide where state money should go. Until the state officially sets aside money for a building budget, WSU will not know if being sixth on the list is enough to receive funding. It is projected that about $100 million will be given to the top priorities, meaning approximately four of the 23 projects will be built. Pulitzer Prize-winning author speaking today about Disney What do corporate intrigue, egotistical leadership, money, scandal and a pair of black mouse ears have in common? Each plays a role in author James B. Stewart's book, "Disney War." Stewart wiU speak today at noon in the Shepherd Union Wildcat Theater about the controversial business side of the Walt Disney Corp. Stewart re-cendy published "Disney War," dealing with the roller-coaster ride Disney CEO Michael Eisner has taken die company on. While Stewart's book credits Eisner for several company-saving decisions, it focuses on blunders made by the Disney hierarchy, including opportunities the company passed up, including "The Lord of the Rings," "The Sopranos" and "Survivor." Stefanie Schulz, WSU Student Association vice president of arts and lectures, called Stewart's lecture "universally applicable." "All of us are influenced by advertising and marketing on some level," Schulz said. According to Schultz, Stewart's lecture fits into the Convocations' dieme of "die inside story." Stewart won the Pulitzer Prize in 1994 for his best-selling book "Den of Thieves," about the 1980s insider trading scandals on Wall Street.